Our Projects

#RenkliHayallerSahnesi

Following the earthquake that occurred based in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, we said #BirlikteDüşlüyoruz at #RenkliHayallerSahnesi to contribute to the well-being of the children affected by the earthquake and to heal our wounds together from April 23 to June 25. We met with children from Kahramanmaraş and Hatay with theatre plays, workshops, concerts, film screenings and street performances in our constant show tents. We hosted approximately 7,500 children in two months and launched our Mobile Stage during the last 2 weeks of #RenkliHayallerSahnesi. Our Mobile Stage reached children staying in different tent cities in Elbistan, Göksun and Afşin, which are the more disadvantaged areas of Kahramanmaraş, and we were able to bring them together with a full program of colourful performances. We carried the colourful performances of more than 30 valuable teams to Hatay and Kahramanmaraş. We met approximately 7,500 children over 200 events, with a total of 53 theatre plays, 32 workshops, 18 concerts, 14 street performances and 84 films.

Our Supporters: TOBB Creative Industries Assembly (TOBB Kreatif Endüstriler Meclisi), Netflix Turkey (Netflix Türkiye), Needs Map (İhtiyaç Haritası)

 

 

#SahnedenDayanışma

Right after the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, which affected millions of people in 11 provinces, we launched the #SahnedenDayanışma campaign. Private theatres that are our partners donated all or a part of their theatre revenues to non-governmental organisations that are members of the Disaster Platform
(Afet Platformu) and the #BirKiraBirYuva Project of the Needs Map (İhtiyaç Haritası). We hosted our spectators, who are members, volunteers or supporters of any non-governmental organisation member of the Disaster Platform, at our partners’ plays until the end of the 2022-2023 season with the quota of #SahnedenDayanışma.

The partners of the Theater Cooperative shared the revenues of the plays
to support our colleagues from the Mediterranean Regional Theater Cooperative (Akdeniz Bölge Tiyatro Kooperatifi) to sustain their careers through productivity.
Upon the suggestion we took to the IBB Culture Department (İBB Kültür Dairesi Başkanlığı), our colleagues from the Mediterranean Regional Theater Cooperative were on the theatre stage in Istanbul between the 26th-30th of March, covering World Theater Day on the 27th of March.

Theatres’ Accessibility Project

In this Project, our aim is to activate the participation of hindered individuals (blind, deaf, physically or cognitively different, etc.) in culture and art life by making private theatre venues and activities more accessible and inclusive.

The Project was released in cooperation with Everything Accessible (Erişilebilir Her Şey), and with the support of the Culture and Art Fund implemented by the Civil Society Support Foundation (Sivil Toplum Destek Vakfı) and the Turkey Mozaik Foundation. Within the scope of the project, we conducted interactive training on the perception and awareness of disability for theatre managers and field workers; we reported the changes in participants’ opinions with pre-and post-tests. With the aim of
promoting the inclusive transformation of theatre venues, we have prepared
physical accessibility recommendation reports for 6 theatre venues. We have prepared the “Theatres’ Accessibility Guide” to ensure that we deliver the outcomes for all private theatres to facilitate their accessibility roadmaps. You can access the guide from the link

Our partners participating in the project: Asmalı Sahne, Atta Festival, DasDas, Galata Perform, Hann Sahne, istanbulimpro, Kumbaracı50, Lavean Art Group, Mask-Kara Theater, Semaver Kumpanya

 

Tiyatro Kooperatifi Yaz Buluşmaları

In order to create space for the Theatre Cooperative partners that were forced to be away from stages during the pandemic, to strengthen the solidarity and collective culture between the independent theatres, and to bring audiences from all ages together with the healing power of theatre art, we organized the first edition of the Tiyatro Kooperatifi Yaz Buluşmaları (Theatre Cooperative Summer Meetings) between 2 August-25 September 2021. As part of the project that was open to all cooperative partners, series of events were organized at Fenerbahçe Park, Caddebostan Amphitheatre and Ataşehir Deniz Gezmiş Park Amphitheatre, with the contribution of Ataşehir Municipality, Kadıköy Municipality, and the venue support of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The Caddebostan leg of the event took place at Anadolu Efes Mavi Sahne. With its rich program consisting of 31 plays for adults and 10 children’s plays, Yaz Buluşmaları hosted 37 different independent theatre companies in the course of 41 days. The project was supported by many persons and corporate firms, including KONIX, Eker Süt Ürünleri, Mey Diageo, ParPlus Paravan Sistemleri, Gürbüz Çapan and Itır Erhart. Generated from ticket sales, personal and corporate contributions, the total income of Yaz Buluşmaları was transferred to the independent theatres that took part in the program. 

 

 

Cooperative System for Independent Theatres in Turkey

While starting our journey in May 2018, one of our wishes was to form a theatre cooperatives alliance in Turkey. The meeting conducted with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism in March 2020 with the emergence of the Covid-19 urged us to create a nationwide communication network with the independent theatres in Turkey. We explained why we believe that the cooperative system and a potential alliance would be an ideal solution for the sector’s problems. Our This project accelerated with the support of Sivil Toplum için Destek Vakfı and Turkey Mozaik Foundation’s Culture & Arts fund. We are currently organizing training programs and providing consultancy for the establishment of 5 theatre cooperatives in different regions of Turkey.

#BizdeYerinAyrı Campaign

We carried out the #BizdeYerinAyrı campaign between May 2020-June 2021 to raise money for the independent theatres that were forced to stop all their activities during the pandemic. With the campaign, theatre audiences got the chance to reserve their places in advance for the upcoming plays and support 33 theatre companies that took part in the project. The campaign was realized in collaboration with Mobilet and supported by many corporate firms including Anadolu Efes, Mey Diageo, Yapı Kredi and Zorlu Holding.

Çözüm Buluşmaları

As part of our Theatre Management, Capacity Building and Networking Project supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we organized Tiyatro Kooperatifi Çözüm Buluşmaları (Theatre Cooperative Solution Meetings) in December 2020 in collaboration with Istanbul Bilgi University Cultural Policy and Management Research Center. The sessions moderated by Assoc.Prof. Gökçe Dervişoğlu Okandan, Assoc.Prof. Itır Erhart and Assoc.Prof. Serhan Ada from Bilgi University hosted many speakers including Gülhan Kadim (Altıdan Sonra Theatre & Kumbaracı50, General Coordinator), İpek M. Sur (Sr. Policy Officer for Culture & Public Diplomacy for the Netherlands), Prof.Dr. Lluis Bonet (University of Barcelona), Mehmet Ergen (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Theatres, Artistic Director), Atılım Şahin (ATÖLYE, Director of Communities), Özlem Daltaban (DOT Theatre, Co-founder, Producer), Barış Celiloğlu (Actress, Director), Sedef Ecer (Playwright, Director), and Zişan Uğurlu (Artistic Director, Actress) focused on issues including the resilience of culture & arts institutions in during the times of crisis, theatre management in hard times, cultural participation during Covid-19 and good examples from the international culture & arts scene. You can watch the webinars on our YouTube channel. 

5G:XR – Brighton Istanbul

We are one of the industry partners of the project 5GXR: Brighton & Istanbul which is realized in collaboration with University of Brighton, Brunel University, Bahçeşehir University and Istanbul Bilgi University and funded by the Arts and Humanities Council and Newton-Katip Çelebi fund. The project explores the effects of 5G, AR and VR technologies on the performing arts and the gaming sector. During the online symposium which was organized on November 5, 2020, the performing arts and game professionals from Turkey and the UK met on Discord and exchanged knowledge and experience. The Cooperative partners Kadıköy Theatron and Yolcu Tiyatro also presented their works.

IETM Multi-location Autumn Plenary Meeting: What Matters Now?: Building a Culture of Resilience in Performing Arts

We have hosted theatre professionals from all around the world in the webinar we organized as part of the IETM’s (International network for contemporary performing arts) Multi-location Autumn Plenary Meeting. Arundhati Ghosh (India – India Foundation for the Arts Executive Director), Hanane Hajj Ali (Lebanon – Culture Resource Co-founder, Theatre Maker, Artivist), Kalina Wagenstein (Bulgaria – Art Offiice Foundation Director), Mike van Graan (South Africa – Sustaining Theatre and Dance Foundation Project Manager, Playwright) and Mikhail Durnenkov (Lubimovka Festival Art Director, Playwright) were the session which was moderated by the Theatre Cooperative’s Vice President Yeşim Özsoy.

Idea Exchange Table

We take strength from the uniting power of our team of consultants. In collaboration with InogarArt, we have initiated an Idea Exchange Table with the participation of leading professionals.

Festtogether 2021 / Bir Kira Bir Sahne (A Rent & A Stage)

We are one of the stakeholders of the NeedsMap.Coop’s (İhtiyaç Haritası) project Festtogether / Bir Kira Bir Sahne (A Rent & A Stage). The project was developed to provide financial support for the performing arts laborers and rent support for culture & arts venues in the Covid-19 period.

Facebook Civil Society Program

We are a part of the Facebook Civil Society Program which aims to transfer the social sensitivities on social media to the right medium, civil society.

 

#BizimİçinFarkEder

Contact Us

Address

Atatürk Mahallesi Ertuğrul Gazi Sokak Metropol İstanbul D6 No:2/J Ataşehir/İstanbul